A number of existing board game devices are concerned with travel between a starting point and a selected destination. Some of these devices employ a political entity such as the continental United States using various cities as the starting point and destination. Other board game devices depict a more local geography by employing a grid of streets and highways as the arena in which travel is conducted.
While each of these board games seek to provide an educational benefit, they are principally concerned with traffic controls, underlying road hazards, modes of transportation, and revenue generation, and not with the development of those skills which enhance map reading.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,337, issued to Peters et al., discloses a board game of the continental United States in which major cities have alternate routes and modes of transportation. The object of the game is to move from one city to another using alternate routes and different modes of transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,289, issued to Burkett, discloses a board game which simulates the flow of traffic through a community and utilizes traffic rules which restrict the flow of traffic through the streets of the community.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,094, issued to Bakay, discloses a board game having intersecting thoroughfares. Cards are selected to move game pieces along the thoroughfares while hazard cards and traffic signals are designed to hinder the advancement of the game pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,917, issued to Hatcher discloses a board game which simulates the movement of trucks across the United States. Symbols are placed along the routes which advance or retard movement of the trucks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,607, issued to McDonald, is directed to a travel board game in which multiple sets of game cards are used to generate revenue along a simulated route.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,889, issued to Burkett, is another board game device simulating the flow of traffic in which the game pieces are primarily controlled by the selection of traffic violation cards which impede the progress of the game pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,871, issued to Antwi, discloses a board game of a hypothetical community employing traffic control parameters which determine the rate at which a game piece proceeds from a starting point to a final destination.
None of these prior art board games provides the player with the opportunity to develop those motor and cognitive skills necessary to develop a facility for map reading and to learn the actual landmarks and cultural events of a selected city.